


city lights

by easycomeeasygo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Drinking, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Getting Back Together, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Minor Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Mutual Pining, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Matsukawa Issei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:14:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/easycomeeasygo/pseuds/easycomeeasygo
Summary: “Well here we are,” Oikawa says lightly, his tone not matching the stormy expression on his face. Matsukawa has always prided himself on being good at reading Oikawa and that still hasn’t changed. He knows Oikawa wouldn’t say anything like that if Hanamaki and Iwaizumi weren’t at the bar getting them more drinks, so he assumes it has to do with their disaster love lives.Matsukawa sighs. “I don’t think it’s normal to still be in love with our high school best friends, Oikawa.”Oikawa snorts in an ugly way. “Of course not, Mattsun. But here we are, still absolute fools.”He raises his empty pint glass towards him. “Cheers to that.”
Relationships: Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei
Comments: 12
Kudos: 92





	city lights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hobikilledme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobikilledme/gifts).



> for the last two weeks i've been head empty only matsuhana
> 
> happy birthday ryebread :] sorry not sorry for dragging you into this hq lockdown with me!!
> 
> unbeta'd

Matsukawa and Hanamaki broke up right before their first year of university.

Matsukawa understood Hanamaki’s reasoning, about how hard it could be maintaining their relationship and how the last thing he wants is to ruin their relationship so he would rather call it quits before it got too heavy. Before it became a burden, Matsukawa could tell Hanamaki wanted to say but didn’t.

He thinks about it a lot more than he probably should, considering how long ago it was.

They weren’t even together that long. It was just a few months of secret touches, kisses, and every first he could have given Hanamaki. They’ve stayed friends, best friends, since.

It’s been years of just being best friends and Matsukawa hates how often he thinks of the way Hanamaki’s hands felt on him all those years ago.

-

The shinkansen down to Tokyo is a routine that Matsukawa has gotten used to over the years, with him going down to Tokyo more than Hanamaki comes up to Sendai.

He and Hanamaki would always scrounge whatever money they could to take turns visiting each other during college and now it’s even easier with a disposable income. He sits next to the window, his laptop out double-checking work emails. It’s two hours each way, but worth it to spend the weekend with Hanamaki, especially since both Iwaizumi and Oikawa are also in Tokyo now with the Olympics so close.

At first, he wasn’t going to go down to Tokyo, not when he’s taking days off to go all over for some of Oikawa’s games, but it just took one look from Hanamaki while Facetiming and a conveniently timed text from Oikawa who wanted to make sure _one of his best friends will see his face as much as possible_ , especially now that he’s back in Japan for a bit.

Tokyo Station is always a clusterfuck, packed, and always filled to the brim with noise.

He sees Hanamaki before Hanamaki sees him. His pink hair is a bit long and messy as if he’s overdue for a haircut. He also sticks out from the monotone crowd in his yellow oversized hoodie. It’s cute on him.

“Makki,” he calls out, approaching him and unable to stop himself from smiling.

Hanamaki smiles back widely, grabbing Matsukawa and pulling him into a tight hug. “Missed you, Mattsun.”

Matsukawa immediately smells Hanamaki’s cologne, notes of citrus and cedar that he’s gotten used to associating with him and sinks into his embrace, his head resting perfectly in the crook of Hanamaki’s neck.

“It’s only been a few months,” he replies. “Distance and fondness or whatever, huh?”

“I’m anything but fond of you,” Hanamaki replies. “Come on, let's get out of here.”

“When are we meeting Oikawa and Iwaizumi?” he asks as they navigate the maze that is Tokyo station to Hanamaki’s line.

“Soon,” Hanamaki replies, “Basically we’ll drop your shit off and head back out.”

Hanamaki’s apartment is small and clean. There’s a plant in the corner and more that he can see out on the small balcony. His bed is made, his laptop on top of the sheets. The only relatively messy part is the kitchen, the sink with dirty dishes inside of it. It feels like Hanamaki but still fleeting, temporary. As if he hasn’t settled his roots here despite how long it’s been since he moved to Tokyo.

He puts his backpack and duffel next to Hanamaki’s sofa. He doesn’t even get a chance to relax before Hanamaki is pulling him back out of the apartment, talking about the place they’re going for dinner.

After dinner the four of them go to a hole in the wall bar that has enough room for a few tables for drinks in Shinjuku. Apparently the three of them have been going here enough that the bartender greets them by name.

“Well here we are,” Oikawa says lightly, his tone not matching the stormy expression on his face. Matsukawa has always prided himself on being good at reading Oikawa and that still hasn’t changed. He knows Oikawa wouldn’t say anything like that if Hanamaki and Iwaizumi weren’t at the bar getting them more drinks, so he assumes it has to do with their disaster love lives.

Matsukawa sighs. “I don’t think it’s normal to still be in love with our high school best friends, Oikawa.”

Oikawa snorts in an ugly way. “Of course not, Mattsun. But here we are, still absolute fools.”

He raises his empty pint glass towards him. “Cheers to that.”

“You should tell him,” Matsukawa says. “It seems like the timing is right, don’t you think?”

Oikawa checks back towards the bar, making sure Hanamaki and Iwaizumi are still there and out of earshot.

“If he beats me I will. Plus my contract with San Juan is gonna be up. I love Argentina but I don’t know, Mattsun. Maybe it’s time to come home. But that doesn’t matter right now. There are the Olympics and Iwa-chan and maybe sorting my shit out myself for once,” he says casually.

It’s come up in conversation before, Oikawa mentioning his agent negotiating with San Juan and talking about some offers he has in other countries but wanting to wait and see what happens during the Olympics before settling on anything. Matsukawa is very glad his worries are just about whether he can get a promotion soon and get a bigger apartment and maybe a cat.

Oikawa pouts and finally continues, “But what about you and Makki, Mattsun?” Matsukawa shifts uncomfortably and Oikawa continues, “I mean it’s been years and he’s still it for you. He told you he’s thinking about moving back to Sendai right?”

“He’s mentioned it but I don’t know how serious he was about it,” Matsukawa replies. He really wishes his glass wasn’t empty.

I’m just saying, he’s considering going back to Sendai for a _reason_.”

“It’s home,” Matsukawa says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Tokyo is great, he’s heard Hanamaki sing its praises for years now but lately, he’s been talking a lot about wanting something a bit slower, something closer to home. The more he thinks about it, it seems like he’s not telling Matsukawa the whole truth about _why_.

“You’re there,” Oikawa replies quietly. “Hush, they’re coming back.”

Matsukawa looks up and sees Iwaizumi and Hanamaki heading back to their table with two beers in hand each. Hanamaki puts a glass in front of him and slides into the booth next to him, their legs and arms touching.

“Sorry that took forever,” Iwaizumi says. “Busy tonight.”

Matsukawa nods in acknowledgment, drinking his beer faster than usual. Oikawa’s words root themselves in every crevice of his mind, twisting and wrapping around the parts that seem to always hum out _Takahiro_ quietly.

Matsukawa can feel Hanamaki’s eyes on his usually covered tattooed arms, tracing every line.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Hanamaki says, jolted from his thoughts. “It just looks like you got more?”

“I did,” he replies. He points at the pink, red, and yellow peonies with a snake slithering through them on his forearm. “This one I got after the last time I saw you.”

Suddenly Hanamaki is right in front of him, his finger tracing the line of the flowers carefully. Matsukawa thinks of how easy it would be to kiss him. He wonders if Hanamaki would kiss him back, if he’d allow it as a one-night thing or if he would understand that Matsukawa has been in fucking love with him for ages.

He doesn’t though.

Instead, he carefully calms his heartbeat, hoping Hanamaki doesn’t hear the way it’s thrumming out of his chest and tells him about the symbolism and how it’s inspired by Ukiyo-e art and how he likes how they look on himself.

They’re still a bit tipsy when they go to bed, Hanamaki in his bed and Matsukawa on the couch.

“Remember our first university break?” Hanamaki suddenly asks into the dark of the apartment.

“The one where you came home just to babysit my whiny ass after my top surgery?” Matsukawa laughs.

“Iwaizumi told me after that you didn’t think I was actually going to come home for you.”

“I mean it wasn’t going to be fun,” he replies calmly. “I was going to be miserable for a month and I figured you might not want to deal with that.”

The honest _“and we had just broken up and I didn’t know if I could handle having you so close but not having you_ ” he's thinking stays in the back of Matsukawa’s mouth.

“Why’d you bring that up?”

“Dunno,” Hanamaki replies. “I just remembered it. It was nice, spending the entire break with you and not having to work or intern or anything.”

“Fond unemployment memories?”

Hanamaki laughs melodically at that. “Exactly, Mattsun.”

“It _was_ nice, minus how fucking miserable I was because of the pain. You made it a little better, I guess.”

They lay in silence for a while, the only noise coming from the fan and each other’s breathing, slowly but surely syncing up as they begin drifting to sleep.

“I really do think I wanna go back to Sendai,” Hanamaki says quietly.

“Why?” Matsukawa asks, the question tumbling out.

Hanamaki doesn’t answer.

Matsukawa takes it as him not ready to talk about it so he just closes his eyes, letting his breathing even out until he’s nearly asleep.

“Because you’re there,” Hanamaki finally answers, so quietly that Matsukawa isn’t sure if he was even supposed to hear it.

-

Matsukawa wakes up first.

Hanamaki is still asleep face down on his pillow when he gets out of the shower and changes out of his pajamas so Matsukawa grabs his phone and quietly leaves the apartment to go to the Family Mart around the corner.

The cashier looks bored and the store is empty.

He walks through the aisles, taking the time to gather his thoughts. It seems fitting to have a crisis about Hanamaki in a random Family Mart in Tokyo at 7 in the morning. He tosses a melon bread for himself and a strawberry pastry into his basket.

Oikawa’s words bloom in his mind. Hanamaki coming back to Sendai already feels heavy with meaning and Oikawa would never mention that without careful intention, especially when he was so open about everything with himself. It’s as if it’s a suggestion from Oikawa that maybe it’s time for both of them to do something.

He moves to the refrigerated section, checking out the coffee and grabbing two milk tea bobas, two iced coffees, and two iced lattes.

On his way back he texts Oikawa, vague because he knows Iwaizumi will probably see Oikawa’s phone light up with the notification.

_Mattsun_

i have a business proposition to solve both of our problems

Hanamaki is awake when Matsukawa gets back. He’s sitting up in his bed, hair messy and eyes half-closed. He looks cozy, making Matsukawa’s heart skip a little.

“Did you go to Family Mart?” he asks voice heavy with sleep. “Did you get me shit? Please tell me you got me a latte and I’ll worship the ground you walk on.”

“Of course. I got us caffeine and pastries for now. Are we still meeting up with Iwaizumi and Oikawa later?”

“Mhm. I think they’re getting brunch or some shit in Shibuya before we meet them. We can probably head out in an hour or two and stop for actual breakfast or something,” he replies.

Matsukawa nods. “Go shower Makki.”

As Hamamaki goes into the bathroom, Matsukawa’s phone lights up with a notification from Oikawa.

_Oikawa_

im listening mattsun~

Matsukawa grins.

_Mattsun_

in my infinite wisdom i’ve made a startling realization

_Oikawa_

i didn’t know u were capable of that mattsun!!

congrats on having thoughts!!!

and that is ?

_Mattsun_

we’re both absolute idiots, shittykawa

we are so stupid

_Oikawa_

explain and make it quick

i think iwachan is almost ready~

_Mattsun_

we are stupidly in love with our best friends, right?

_oikawa_

hate it when you put it bluntly like that

but ya

_Mattsun_

my dear stupid friend, we have neglected to acknowledge the fact that they love us too

_oikawa_

makki yes, iwa no

_Mattsun_

unreal that i can at least acknowledge that makki has feelings for me but you can't

you’re stupider than me, i think

_Oikawa_

iwa back!!!! let’s continue this convo later mattsun~~

Matsukawa rolls his eyes. Oikawa is endlessly infuriating.

“Were you texting Oikawa?” Hanamaki suddenly says.

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“You had the same look on your face that Iwaizumi gets when Oikawa is being Oikawa.”

“Oh, the _Oikawa is fucking insufferable_ face?”

“Yeah,” Hanamaki laughs, “That one.”

He joins Matsukawa at the table, handing him the iced coffee while he sips at his latte.

“How’s work?” Hanamaki asks. “It’s been so long since I’ve had to deal with that.”

Matsukawa raises an eyebrow. “Makki, I don’t think you’ve ever asked me that. And you only quit two weeks ago.”

Hanamaki grins at that, chewing on his straw. “Maybe I’m just trying to show an interest in your life.”

Matsukawa laughs at that. “You’re so annoying. It’s work, it’s fine.”

One of the infinite things Matsukawa likes about Hanamaki is how the two of them look standing next to each other.

Matsukawa is infinitely thankful to genetics for being kind to him, making him the tallest of the four of them. He’s always wearing head to toe black, with either a denim or leather jacket and big chunky boots while Hanamaki is always in pastel soft-looking sweaters, the only edge about him being the numerous rings and studs adorning his ears and the fact that he’s 6 foot. Matsukawa always prays that the occasional glint he catches from his belly button whenever Hanamaki’s sweaters rise up is just a trick of the light.

They head to the station, Hanamaki chatting away about what he’s been doing since quitting his job.

“Lots of anime,” he says. “Probably too much, but Iwaizumi and Oikawa have been busy with volleyball so I can’t mooch off of them as much as I would like.”

“Oikawa’s lucky Argentina decided to do their training camp in Tokyo,” Matsukawa remarks.

“Oikawa is always lucky when it comes to Iwa,” Hanamaki replies, “Though he would probably brute force his way into luck if it meant he could see him.”

Matsukawa feels the same, even if up until now he hasn’t.

As they wait for the train to pull up he wonders when he should bring up what Hanamaki said last night but promptly forgets when he bumps up against him. “Can we go to Mandarake until they’re done?”

“Yeah. What does Oikawa even wanna do?”

“Shop,” Hanamaki huffs out. “His first day off in ages and he wants to drag us all over Tokyo.”

Shibuya isn’t too crowded. It’s a Saturday and it’s still before noon so there aren’t too many people out yet. Matsukawa takes off his jacket when they get out of the station, putting it in his backpack while they wait to cross.

“Love walking around with a hoodlum,” Hanamaki teases. “Tokyo really isn’t as bad as other places, you know. At least around here.”

“Shut it, Makki. It’s just a habit.”

“I’m sure,” he says, leading them through Shibuya Crossing and towards the side streets to get to Manadarake, “Oikawa’s gonna flip out though, he hasn’t seen so many of them.”

Matsukawa laughs loudly. “That’s the best part. He looks stupid when he’s caught off guard.”

“You’re a menace, Mattsun.”

“That’s why you love me so much,” he says, hoping it sounds light.

When he turns to Hanamaki, he’s smiling softly.

“You’re not too bad.”

After spending way too much time looking through all of the manga and collectibles not only in Mandarake but in the Animate nearby, Oikawa and Iwaizumi finally message them with an address to the Gong Cha by Tower Records, saying that they’re on their way there now.

“Shouldn’t you be on a diet, Olympian?” Hanamaki says when the two of them show up.

“I’m being very good, I can spare one drink,” Oikawa pouts.

“Holy shit Mattsun,” Oikawa says when he finally notices Matsukawa’s uncovered arms, “I didn’t realize you had so many tattoos.”

“You were busy fucking off to Argentina, I was busy getting tattoos,” he replies lazily.

“Unreal, you’re like a giant coloring book. Hey Iwa-chan, get me my usual. Makki go with him.”

Matsukawa expects Iwaizumi to push back the way he always does but he catches him and Hanamaki off-guard when he replies. “Yeah, okay. Come on Makki, you know what Mattsun wants right?”

He and Hanamaki exchange confused looks but Iwaizumi grabs his arm and drags him inside the shop.

“So I think you’re right,” Oikawa says, “About us being idiots.”

“I’m always right. So what happened, what changed your mind?”

Oikawa huffs. “I thought about it. I asked Iwa-chan if I was his favorite and he called me Shittykawa and insulted me a ton but after we finished eating he said _obviously_ in this sweet voice that I didn’t know the brute was capable of. I think he _likes_ me, Mattsun.”

Matsukawa wants to shake him violently and yell at him for hours that Iwaizumi has been in love with him ever since they were kids. He and Hanamaki have watched the two of them pine for each other all of high school. They still watch them pine for each other, waiting for one of them to finally make a fucking move. “You’re still gonna wait until after the Olympics, aren’t you?”

Oikawa nods. “It’s too important to both of us to not let it be the focus. I have to beat him into the fucking ground.”

“And do you wanna move back to Japan?”

Oikawa hesitates for a second. “I think my real answer is embarrassing and I don’t really want to say it.”

Matsukawa rolls his eyes. “Everything about you is embarrassing. You can tell me if you want, I’m probably not in a place to judge you.”

Oikawa sighs. “I thought about it a little more, and I don’t know if it’s necessarily that I want to be back in Japan or if I just want to be with Iwa-chan. I guess it depends on how receptive he is to the idea of us. Anyway, what are you doing about Makki?”

“He told me last night he’s thinking about going back to Sendai seriously. I asked why and he didn’t respond.” Matsukawa hesitates before continuing, playing with the loose threads of his ripped jeans. “I think he thought that I was asleep but he said it’s ‘cause I’m there.”

Oikawa laughs, “I told you, Mattsun.”

“I don’t know how to tell him.”

“You will though, right?”

“Mattsun will what,” Hanamaki suddenly cuts in curiously. Matsukawa freezes before schooling his reaction back down.

“I’ll tell you about it later,” he says, taking the boba from Hanamaki’s hand.

He’s not sure what Oikawa is up to but he knows it’s something when he drags Hanamaki out of the elevator on the fourth floor and tells him and Iwaizumi they can’t follow.

“Oikawa’s up to something,” Matsukawa says.

Iwaizumi sighs. “He’s always up to something.”

The two of them go up to the sixth floor. As they look through j-hip hop albums they settle back into each other.

“Can I ask you something?” Iwaizumi asks.

“Sounds like you’re up to something too, Iwa-chan,” he replies.

“Oikawa would gut you if he heard you call me that.”

“You sound fond,” Matsukawa teases. “Are you finally done pretending that you hate it when he calls you that?”

“Oikawa is-- Everything with him is complicated.”

Matsukawa rolls his eyes.

Nothing is more annoying than the fact that all four of them are fucking morons.

“He’s not. He likes 3 things: volleyball, the first Alien movie, and you. ”

“In that order?” Iwaizumi asks.

“Nah you’re probably first. What you guys do isn’t my business and I don’t want to meddle too much but maybe you should talk to him after he beats you in the Olympics.”

“Fuck off,” Iwaizumi laughs. “He’s not beating me. Shouldn’t you be rooting for me, we’re Japanese.”

Matsukawa grins. “Yahaba, Hanamaki, and I already picked Oikawa, obviously. I think you only have Kyoutani on your side.”

Iwaizumi puts the CD he’s holding back and turns to Matsukawa. “Speaking of everyone in Sendai I have a question. Hanamaki’s considering going back.”

“That’s not a question,” Iwaizumi rolls his eyes as Matsukawa continues, “And now you’re the third person to tell me that. Makki’s mentioned it a few times especially since quitting his last job but it seems like he’s more serious about it now.”

“Do you want him to?” He asks bluntly. Matsukawa hates how badly he wants to spit back a similar question at Iwaizumi, bring up Oikawa and everything going on, or more accurately, not going on with them that should be. It’d be an asshole move for him, but he’s spent years being close friends with Oikawa so he understands where his claws come from.

“Of course I want him to, he’s my best friend and I’d love to live in the same place as him again,” Matsukawa replies. He stops for a second before asking, “Are you sure you and Oikawa aren’t scheming?”

“Not together,” he admits honestly, “If anything it’s just a coincidence because we both care about you two.”

They move from j-hip to the hip hop section, the serious nature of their conversation is beginning to make Matsukawa nervous. He doesn’t mind talking about it, not really, but he hates talking about Hanamaki. It makes him feel too exposed.

“Hanamaki likes Tokyo,” he starts. “I don’t want him to regret moving back to Miyagi.”

“Remember the break that Hanamaki spent with you? For your top surgery?” Iwaizumi brings up out of nowhere.

The deja vu creeps up Matsukawa’s spine, making him shiver. “Makki brought that up last night too. When I asked why he just said it was nice that we got to spend it together without him having to work or anything. It seemed like he wanted to say more but he stopped himself?”

Iwaizumi laughs loudly.

“We’re all fucking hopeless,” he says affectionately. “I don’t even know if Oikawa knows this unless you’ve told him. He told me you guys dated for a few months and broke up before university.”

He looks back up to Matsukawa who nods, and he continues, “He was going to tell you that breaking up was a mistake.”

Matsukawa freezes, his eyes widening. “Iwa. What.”

“I’m telling you this because I don’t think anything has changed for him. He still looks at you the same way, you know that right? Ask him to move to Sendai, Mattsun.”

“Oikawa meddling I get, it’s him and he’s a fucking nightmare, but _you_ , Iwaizumi?”

They go down the next floor and see Hanamaki and Oikawa talking in the corner, both of their faces serious.

“You sure you and Oikawa didn’t plan this little intervention together?” Matsukawa asks, a bit amused. “I can’t believe you guys actually share a brain cell, how unfortunate for you. And I know he does. I know all of that but it just never seemed like the right time.”

“There aren’t perfect times for things, Mattsun,” Iwaizumi replies. “I know you like things to fall into place neatly but everything isn’t like that. This is probably as close as you’re going to get.”

Matsukawa doesn’t miss the way Iwaizumi’s gaze lingers on Oikawa as he says it.

The rest of the day feels like a blur.

They follow Oikawa in and out of stores in Shibuya and then head to Harajuku, following him in and out of back alley boutiques and streetwear brands and down Takeshita Street, hitting up every clothing store and thrift store he sees. Matsukawa is sure he’s being visibly withdrawn judging by the escalating amount of worried looks Hanamaki is sending him.

He separates from them in one of the countless thrift stores, taking a moment to let go of the breath he’s been holding since his conversation with Iwaizumi. Suddenly an arm is around his waist, pulling him close. He shouldn’t be surprised to be confronted with Hanamaki’s concerned face. He can feel the warmth of Hanamaki’s hands through his shirt on his skin.

“Truth time,” Hanamaki says quietly, “What’s wrong? Did something happen with Iwa?”

Matsukawa should have expected this.

It’s probably a sign or something about how much his head is spinning about everything that he didn’t even think that Hanamaki would ask him about it the second he sees an opening.

“It’s noth-”

“Don’t lie to me,” Hanamaki says quietly.

“Later, Takahiro,” Matsukawa replies.

-

The four of them get sushi, downing beers while seeing how many plates they can eat, and end up back at that bar from last night. Matsukawa finally feels the tension seep out of his bones once he stops thinking so much about the unexpected interventions that Iwaizumi and Oikawa subjected him to.

“What do you think about walking home,” Hanamaki asks. He’s drenched in the neon of the signs surrounding him as they stumble out of the little bar. It’s late, the last train approaching quickly and Matsukawa has heard from him how bad it can get on weekends. “It’s probably like 30 minutes? It’s nice out.”

Matsukawa, still tipsy, agrees. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

Matsukawa realizes two things:

  1. He’s inherently selfish.
  2. He never acts on it, no matter how badly he wants to.



He decides that maybe it’s okay to be selfish, maybe it’s okay to not just let things fall into place and actively seek out what he wants for once. Maybe he is too fucking passive. Hanamaki is firmly rooted in his chest, his heart, his mind and maybe he _should_ do something to keep him by his side.

“Move to Sendai,” Matsukawa finally says when he feels mostly sober.

“What?”

“Move to Sendai,” he repeats. “I want you there, Takahiro. I’ve always wanted you with me.”

“When you say you want me with you,” Hanamaki says, tensing up in a way Matsukawa hasn’t ever really seen him be before.

Matsukawa replies, “You know what I mean.”

“Issei, you have to say the words before I fucking explode. I need to hear you say it.”

“I’ve been in love with you for like a million years,” he says casually. “I never stopped, so I want you to move back to Sendai and I want us to try this whole thing again and maybe in a year we can move in together and get a bigger place with a balcony so I can get more plants.”

“That sounds like an excellent timeline. When do you get a tattoo for me?” Hanamaki asks.

Matsukawa instantly flushes, he hates how predictable he is, he hates how fucking well Hanamaki knows him.

“What makes you think I haven’t already?”

Hanamaki suddenly stops walking, grabbing Matsukawa’s wrist and pulling him in close.

“Issei,” he breathes out.

Matsukawa looks around. They’re in an empty side street with no one in sight so he takes off his backpack and jacket, placing them on the ground.

He lifts his shirt and shows Hanamaki the forget-me-nots blooming on his ribs.

“Forget-me-nots,” Matsukawa says.

Hanamaki carefully traces the outline. He tries his best to not shiver at just how delicately he’s touching him.

“What does it mean,” he asks, finally pulling away.

Matsukawa tugs his shirt back down and puts his jacket and backpack back on.

He slips his hand into Hanamaki’s and tugs on his hand, forcing him to start moving again.

“This is so fucking embarrassing. You decided to stay in Tokyo after graduating and I don’t know. I was sad I guess and missed you more than usual. I said it was important and my tattoo artist made time for me.” He bites his lip in embarrassment. “They mean true love. Even if we never ended up getting back together I wanted something for you. I never regretted getting them.”

They walk in silence until the buildings begin morphing into ones that Matsukawa recognizes, realizing they’re already back in Hanamaki’s neighborhood.

“I love you,” Hanamaki finally says. “I love you so much, you stupid tall goth tattooed nightmare boy. I have three months left on my lease. You and Yahaba will have to feel out some job interviews for me.”

Hanamaki kisses him for the first time in years once they get back in his apartment. The traces of tenderness that Matsukawa always felt whenever Hanamaki would trace his tattoos feels overwhelming now, especially with the way he looks at him. Matsukawa is relieved at the muscle memory he has, his hands gravitating towards Hanamaki’s waist and how easily he ends up on top of him, kissing him wherever he can. He pulls off his shirt and watches as Hanamaki takes in the sight of each tattoo that covers his torso. Hanamaki’s hand immediately finds the forget-me-nots.

“You’re infuriatingly hot Issei,” Hanamaki says in between kisses, his pupils blown. “It is so annoying and I need to you fuck me.”

Matsukawa smirks. “Can do, Takahiro.”

Falling back into Hanamaki is as easy as it was the first time.

**Author's Note:**

> wails matsuhana
> 
> thank you for reading! <3


End file.
